Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Draft Prospect Profile | TE Harrison Bryant, FAU
Harrison Bryant
Height: 6-foot 5
Weight: 243 lbs
Grade: SeniorSchool: FAU
At the NFL combine, Harrison Bryant was able to show enough athleticism to justify his production during his time at Florida Atlantic University.
His 4.73 40-yard dash time was decent for a tight end. His 32.5” vertical jump and 9’2” broad jump displayed explosion. His 4.37 short shuttle showed good change of direction. He left the combine as one of the more complete tight ends in the draft.
After not being a high-level prospect out of high school, Bryant continually improved while in Boca Raton. He eventually turned himself into the 2019 John Mackey award winner and an Associated Press first-team All American. He caught 65 passes for 1,004 yards and seven touchdowns.
What has NFL execs and scouts excited about Bryant is his ability to block. Despite being a little light, he explodes into defenders when he blocks them. His get-off allows him to cover up a defender quickly, and his athleticism allows him to stick to a defender.
He has great technique blocking in-line, climbing to the second level, and working in pass protection. This is most likely due to his background as an offensive lineman in high school.
Bryant is the rare case of an offensive tackle moving to tight end. This is also probably the reason that he was not recruited heavily by Power 5 and subsequently emerged at FAU.
He was moved all over the place in college as a receiver and as a blocker. He has played split wide, in the slot, as a wing, and in the backfield. That versatility will make him valuable in the NFL.
As a pass-catcher, he averaged over 15 yards per reception over his final two seasons at FAU. He was a deep threat and worked well underneath. He was most effective at the intermediate level. That is where he used his body to shield defenders.
His fluidity in and out of routes make him a hassle for any linebacker, and his size made him a difficult cover for safeties.
Why He’s a Fit
With the retirement of Rhett Ellison, the Giants need another tight end. If they do not add another legitimate receiving threat to the offense, you could see a lot of multiple tight end sets. Bryant’s versatility would make him a great addition to an offense that will want to be deceptive using personnel groupings.
Bryant would immediately be a better blocker than Evan Engram as he is one of the best blockers from the position in this draft. The Giant’s could use him in-line and give Engram a role more dynamic where he can use his athleticism all over the field and create matchup issues.
Could Harrison Bryant be the next George Kittle? That seems to be his ceiling. At worse, he proves to be too small to take the pounding playing in-line consistently, so he plays more of an H-back or flex-end role and thrives similar to Cameron Brate of the Bucs.
